Ukraine unveils ‘Silent Thunder’ loitering munition

The Armed Forces of Ukraine could soon acquire loitering munitions. The Defense Express Channel reported that the new Ukrainian development has been named “Silent Thunder” ST-35.

The Ukrainian company Athlone Avia has unveiled a new model of single-use drone titled Silent Thunder ST-35. According to the producers, the drone is in its final stage of development, and the first stage of testing has been completed successfully. The guidance systems will be tested before the end of the year, and the warhead will be tested next year.

According to a representative of Athlone Avia, the new drone is a search and destroy system consisting of a multicopter with a transponder and a single-use munition. The device is launched vertically, after which it remains in the zone where the enemy is presumed to be, conducts further reconnaissance, and then destroys the target by diving vertically onto it.

With a take-off weight of 9 kg, the munition has a thermobaric warhead, and there are plans to make other warheads available, including fuel air explosives and high explosive fragmentation warheads. It has a range of roughly 30 km and can remain in the air for about an hour. It has a deployment time of 15-20 minutes.

The entire system, consisting of three munitions, is single-use, and can fit into three tactical backpacks weighing up to 15 kg, which means that operators can move to the necessary positions. The drone is guided using an ordinary tablet.